Sri Lanka’s ageing fireworks industry has little to cheer about this festive season, with sharply rising raw material costs, labour shortages and bad weather conditions frustrating production and sales, manufacturers said. This year’s festive period was the worst season for fireworks as sales came down by 80 per cent, head of Rawana Fireworks Negombo – [...]

Sri Lanka’s ageing fireworks industry has little to cheer about this festive season, with sharply rising raw material costs, labour shortages and bad weather conditions frustrating production and sales, manufacturers said. This year’s festive period was the worst season for fireworks as sales came down by 80 per cent, head of Rawana Fireworks Negombo – Anton Fernando told the Business Times. He said that the production of fireworks was also hampered due to bad weather conditions that prevailed in Negombo and surrounding areas since September last year.

Returns of large stocks of unsold firecrackers have also been increased with traders complaining of low quality standard in production process, he said adding that the reason for this was water seeping into raw material and finished products at their small store rooms during heavy rain. The industry is struggling to survive without modernisation in the manufacturing process although it was started more than 80 years ago. He pointed out that the price of fireworks remained unchanged although the cost of production has skyrocketed. While the absence of strict standards puts product quality in a poor light, the industry is also battling unlicensed manufacturers and accusations that they use children in some stages of manufacture, Mr. Fernando said.

He noted that the labour shortage was a problem faced by the industry at present, but most of the manufacturers were doing a genuine business without violating labour laws.Mr. Fernando said that he is continuing his father’s business with great respect for the ancestors who toiled hard to maintain the good image of Rawana fireworks in Negombo. The company is one of the pioneers in this industry.The fireworks production is mainly seasonal, peaking during Christmas and the April New Year season as a cottage industry, he revealed adding that production techniques have not kept pace with modern times, leaving room for health and pollution issues and accidents like sudden fires that can turn fatal.Around 150 licenced fireworks manufacturers are operating in Negombo, Kimbulapitiya and surrounding areas providing a livelihood for a large number of people.

The industry is still at a very primary level and it is not getting adequate stocks of raw materials and chemicals to produce fireworks, another factory owner said. The Government has imposed heavy taxes on chemical imports from countries like China, Israel and India and it is biggest stumbling block for the progress of the industry, he added. The use of electricity is prohibited in the manufacturing process and they cannot use modern machinery for production like in India and China, he pointed out.Most fireworks contain substances like potassium nitrate or saltpetre for supplying oxygen. Substances like charcoal and sulphur are sometimes added because they amalgamate with the oxygen to produce heat and light.

A large number of flammable substances, such as starch, gum, sugar, shellac and other petroleum derivatives are often used in the mixture instead of charcoal and sulphur.Such chemicals are very costly and the government should intervene to find some redress for their problems, he added.Meanwhile, other fireworks sellers also spoke of a drop in sales in comparison to last year. “We still have not had many sales this year, unlike last year,” a seller in Nugegoda told the Business Times adding that the same situation was prevailing in Borella, Kirulapone and Kelaniya.